Hairy Snout, Human Heart
by MyOtherPatronusIsRemusLupin
Summary: Who cares if he's a werewolf? He's a human, too. The story of Remus Lupin and his struggle with being a werewolf at Hogwarts, along with friendships, pranks and Wolfstar. Rated T just in case. May contain fluff, fights, fangirling and Peter Pettigrew eating everything in sight. And lots of Wolfstar
1. Chapter 1

**If you're reading this, thanks for reading it :) If all goes well, I plan to write quite a lot of this. With possible Wolfstar in later chapters. This is just an introduction of the wonderful Remus Lupin and the gorgeous Marauders :) **

**Please, please, please review, because I need them to write any more. Reviews make me happy and I will love you. Even if you are reviewing to say it's crap.**

**Thanks**

**All characters belong to J.K. Rowling (for now :3333 I'm planning on stealing Remus, 'cause he's MINE)**

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'Are you ready?'

'Ready,' Remus smiled nervously, pushing the heavily loaded trolley through the solid station wall, his mother trotting anxiously beside him and father close behind.

'We're so proud,' Mrs Lupin smiling, looking down at her son and adjusting his coat collar once more. Remus fiddled with a scar across his nose as she continued, 'you know Professor Dumbledore wouldn't just accept anyone, but he really likes you.'

'What if they do find out?'

'Then... We'll...' Mr Lupin avoided his son's eye, as he always did, 'we'll ask Professor Dumbledore for books so you can learn at home. But Professor Dumbledore said he and all the staff are fine and all-'

Remus zoned out as he stared across the platform. People who were much older than him, almost adults, were getting on the train with owls and trunks. The entire prospect suddenly seemed so... daunting. He would be having to disappear and turn into a werewolf hiding from that amount of people_ every_ month for _seven _years. As well as hiding his tiredness and feeling ill that always came easy. The scars on his face and body would be extremely difficult to hide, too, on top of all that.

'Lily!'

A nearby cry broke him from his trance, the voice of another young boy calling out to someone. As his mother tried to smooth his hair down further, Remus clutched the book he'd been planning to read on the journey and scanned the crowds.

A boy slightly taller than him was streaking the length of the platform, long nosed, pale skinned and greasy haired, he gave the impression of someone quickly wanting to get away from one thing and getting to another quickly. A small girl with long, red hair stood smiling at the end of his path, an older girl at her side and glaring at the boy.

Remus stared at the pair for as long as possible; they had to be first years, too. The girl had a brand new trunk and the boy, whose trunk looked battered and old as the one Remus had, still seemed to show an air of nervousness and excitement. But the older girl with them glared into space, seeing something Remus couldn't. He wanted to ask if she was also a first year, or go over to the three, but she looked much older... And the other two seemed happy talking.

'Go and introduce yourself, Remy,' his mother smiled, kissing his cheek, 'your father's taking your luggage onto the train.'

'I can't,' he muttered, shaking his head.

Another boy had just arrived, closer to Remus. He looked as nervous, if not _more _nervous. Short, plump and with blond hair, he seemed to be torn between gaping at everything and everyone and pulling the wrapper off the bar of chocolate clutched in his pudgy hand.

Remus was comforted to think that he wasn't the only one that was nervous, or seemingly alone. The small boy looked up at the woman next to him, muttering words that Remus couldn't work out.

He just wanted _someone_ to be his friend and to accept him when they had to find out about his problem... Someone who wouldn't blab about it to the entire school, which made making friends extremely risky. Dumbledore had offered Remus his own, private bedroom, but Remus had refused point blanc, a little upset by the fact Dumbledore seemed to think he should perhaps be segregated from the other, normal eleven year old boys who liked Quidditch and Chocolate Frogs and... He wasn't really quite sure. He preferred reading, but that hobby would be a minority.

'Time to go!'

Remus' father had appeared at his side, smiling a smile that wasn't quite real; it seemed to be a habit of his. The family walked along the platform, Mrs Lupin fussing continually, but in such a way that Remus liked it, even if was attracting some stares and pulling a faint pink tinge onto his cheeks. Why did people always have to be quite so judgemental or curious? But he couldn't really talk, given how long he'd stared at the greasy haired boy and the red haired girl for.

'Come on, Severus, we need to find seats!' The girl had reappeared, grabbing the boy's hand and pulling him onto the train excitedly. It was a worrying thought that perhaps almost everyone else already had a friend, and the little boy with the chocolate was nowhere to be seen.

...

'I'm sorry...' Remus looked around the sliding door, into the small compartment. The girl with red hair was sitting opposite the boy with greasy hair, her hair now in long plaits that she must have done. He didn't want to seem like he was stalking them, but he did keep seeing them. 'All the other carriages are full, or...' He broke off, not really wanting to say he was a little scared to enter one with sixth and seventh years, but the girl understood.

'Come in!' She smiled kindly and motioned towards the empty seats. The boy slipped in, still clutching his book and looking down to try and hide the scars on his face. It really wasn't the time for questions. 'I'm Lily Evans,' she held out a hand.

'Remus Lupin,' he shook it and turned to the boy, who said nothing.

'He's my friend, Severus,' she shot a small frown at the boy who was not speaking, 'Severus, this is Remus.'

Severus shot Remus a look that showed dislike as Lily turned to look out of the window.

'It's our first year,' she smiled as Remus sat next to her, earning another glare from Severus, 'I don't have magical parents... Severus has one magical parent, don't you, Sev? How many do you have?'

Remus seemed overwhelmed by how friendly she was, but it was nice, even if he was scared about her asking questions. They must have seen the scars on his face, and whilst Severus stared, Lily only nibbled her lip sympathetically when she thought nobody was looking.

'Both my parents are magical,' he started quietly, 'but it doesn't really matter, does it? I don't know any more magic than anyone else...'

She smiled warmly at Lupin and shook her head. He was yet to hear Severus to speak, but Lily seemed insistent.

'I agree,' her voice was softer and kinder, 'don't you, Sev?'

He realised he would have to speak and opened his mouth.

'I suppose it doesn't always matter...' He spoke carefully, choosing each word slowly.

A silence fell and Remus pulled out his book again, reading. Lily tried to mutter to her friend under her breath, but he stared out the window, making it clear that he would not speak unless Remus left.

'I'll go,' he whispered when the silence was getting unbearable.

Lily opened her mouth to protest as Severus slowly looked up.

'It's fine, really, I'm sure there'll be somewhere else to sit.'

...

Remus, however, was wrong. He had left the train and walked up and down to find full compartments of people who looked terrifying-ly older than him. At one point he had nearly walked in to a compartment full of prefects, and had stopped trying after that, choosing to read his book in the small corridor and squashing himself up against the wall when the poor woman with the trolley tried to pass.

'Do you know where the food trolley went?'

The small boy with the chocolate was back, except the chocolate was gone, leaving only traces around his mouth. He was also alone, except for the fact he was armed with all kinds of wizard sweets and chocolate.

'She went that way,' Remus pointed, hoping he might be able to follow the boy and strike up a conversation. He seemed alright, just liked chocolate more than the average person.

'Thanks,' the boy muttered gruffly, setting off on his trek.

'I-'

A loud laugh rang out from somewhere and Remus looked down to see the boy now lying on the floor, having tripped over an abandoned shoe. Two boys in the nearest compartment were the ones laughing, both taller than Remus and both with dark hair.

'Are you okay?' He took the boy's sweaty hand and helped him up.

He nodded. 'Thanks, 'm Peter.'

'Remus,' the other boy smiled, before Peter made some excuse and hurried after the trolley, leaving Remus outside the compartment of laughing boys.

He looked at them both. They weren't laughing_ too_ unkindly, but Peter falling over probably had looked funny. And Peter didn't seem to mind. They were bigger than him, perhaps second or maybe even third year. One was tall and good looking, even for an eleven year old, with long, black hair that had a slight wave to it. The other was shorter, with glasses and hair that stuck up all over the place. Both were grinning.

'Excuse me...' he slowly picked up the shoe and opened the door to their compartment, 'does this belong to either of you?'

They both smirked, and the taller one nodded. He was wearing a black shirt with a logo of The Beatles on, hand outstretched for the shoe. Apart from them and their masses of chocolate frogs, the compartment was empty.

Remus handed over the shoe and sighed quietly.

'Would you mind if I just sat in the corner here?'

They looked at each other, both grinning.

'Nope. I'm James, James Potter' the smaller one said, sitting back down and resting his feet on the seat opposite.

'Remus,' he smiled in return, curling up on the seat in the corner.

'I'm Sirius Black,' the other one said, pulling back on his shoe and strutting around the compartment, laughing at the jokes he was making with James.

He'd heard of the black family before... They were a well known, rich, pureblood family dating back years and years. From what he'd heard, as well, they didn't sound particularly nice, but Sirius seemed nice enough, letting him share the compartment.

As the train moved on, the scenery becoming more wild and the sky becoming darker, James and Sirius continued to laugh and joke and talk, eventually starting on Hogwarts.

'What house are you hoping for, Potter?' Sirius nudged his friend's leg.

Remus looked up from his book, eyebrow raised.

'Gryffindor, obviously, I told you before,' James grinned, stretching out, before seeing Remus's expression, 'what is it?'

'I just...' he looked at the two of them, who were both now staring, 'I thought you were second years at least,' he trailed off.

Sirius grinning, beckoning Remus closer. He had apparently taken Remus's mistake in age in his stride, as had James.

'Nope, we're the same year as you. What house are you hoping for?'

'Gryffindor,' he nodded, hoping he'd chosen the right house, 'or Ravenclaw.'

'Awh, Ravenclaw is boring,' James chuckled, 'you have to get into Gryffindor.'

'Anything but Slytherin,' Sirius muttered, 'my family are far too loyal to them, and I'm not continuing that tradition.'

Remus laughed nervously, closing his book for good and looking at the two boys. What would they say, though, if they found out? They seemed nice enough now, but anyone was likely to change once they discovered they had been talking to a werewolf. Remus knew that from experience. But he couldn't afford to segregate himself from other people when half of the reason of him going to Hogwarts was to prove that werewolves shouldn't be discriminated against. But he just wanted friends. Why should lycanthropy stop that?

'Why have you got so many scars, then, Lupin?' Sirius asked eventually.

'I-,' he'd planned hundreds of stories for this, but his mouth was starting to dry up, 'fights.' He mumbled.

'Fights?!' James chuckled, 'you don't like the fighting kind! But they're cool.'

'Yeah, not intentional ones,' Remus lived through his teeth, but the other two seemed impressed.

The train started to slow down and a bossy looking boy stuck his head in the train, telling the three of them to put their robes on. Sirius smirked at his gleaming Prefect badge, but obliged, pulling on his robes along with the other two. Remus dragged out his battered trunk that had once belonged to his father and stared out of the window.

'Why look so nervous?' Sirius Black grinned. 'Hogwarts is going to be brilliant.'


	2. Chapter 2

YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO!

:)

I'll love you forever! I spent ages writing this. A review will take seconds.

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'Quiet, quiet!'

It was almost a comforting sight to see Professor McGonagall. Although nobody else seemed to know her, if they did know who she was, she'd come with Professor Dumbledore to find out whether Remus would be okay to go to Hogwarts. Although given no sign of recognition from her, it still made the huge castle seem a lot less scary.

Sirius Black was leaning against a wall, ducking slightly to stay out of the view of the professor as he whispered in a low voice to James Potter. Peter was staring around, concentrating so much that he had even put away his chocolate frog. Lily and Severus were near the front of the crowd of first years, Lily's eyes fixed on the professor and Severus's on Lily. Remus stood between two girls and tried to concentrate on the woman's words, his heart thumping under his chest. He'd heard about the sorting hat, but what if it started saying things to the school? Or what if he was pulled away from the others to have a private sorting because of that? That would be a great start...

'And you shall now go through to the Great Hall, where you shall be sorted.'

The group shuffled towards the doors which the woman opened with a flick of her wand.

Even Sirius Black and James Potter seemed stunned to silence as they looked around the room. Huge long tables lined with laughing students, the room lit by candles which were floating and a ceiling which Remus was convinced looked just like the sky outside. But what was perhaps most amazing was the plain hat sitting on a stool in front of everyone. All eyes were on the brown material, and somewhere on it, a makeshift mouth opened and started to sing.

_Witches, Wizards, big and small,  
Greetings; welcome to this school  
Final year or first year ever,  
I think you'll find I'm rather clever._

_Expect or want your grades to soar?  
You're hoping to be Ravenclaw  
Keep on going, though it's tough?  
Perhaps you'll be a Hufflepuff  
Cunning, ambitious, want to win?  
Then you'll belong in Slytherin  
Some rules you bend, or some ignore?  
You could be a Gryffindor._

_But what's important here and now  
Is not which house, but why and how.  
And that's where trust must be in me,  
You'll put me on your head and see._

_If I find you fair and loyal,  
Or patient, tolerant of toil  
A badger, you'll be picked to be.  
Put me on your head and see_

_If you're brave and chivalrous  
Would save not you, but them and us,  
Lions, Gryffindors, will not flee  
Put me on your head and see_

_Wise and witty, clever mind  
You'll find another of your kind  
Eagles; intelligent and free  
Put me on your head and see_

_If a more ambitious choice you take,  
Or sly or sneaky, be a snake  
Ambition is the vital key  
Just put me on your head and see!_

The hat broke off and was followed by a large round of applause. Remus, bemused, joined in the clapping. He had no idea the song that the hat was said to sing would be that long or complex. Sirius was laughing, Peter gaping and James standing on his toes to look at Lily as 'Anderson, Tobias' was called up to be sorted.

'Black, Sirius'

Remus was amazed how Sirius managed to keep so calm during the sorting. He was trying hard not to get dizzy from nervousness. What if the hat did say something? It was one of those situations where he could never learn anything from experience of others. Dumbledore had said he was the first werewolf to come to Hogwarts in years, possibly ever.

Sirius sat on the stool with an easy grace, and pulled the hat on. It was only a few moments before the hat declared 'GRYFFINDOR' and he strolled over to the table, sending a fleeting grin at James.

'Lupin, Remus.'

The walk up to the front seemed like one of the hardest things he'd ever done. People may have been starting to lose interest thanks to the fact they were halfway through and nothing special had really happened, but all the eyes of the teachers were on him; they had been told about his... Problem.

'Aaaah.'

Remus could almost hear the hat smirk as he pulled it on and sat down.

'Aaaah, I see what's going on here... You've a clever mind, very clever... But not a lot of self belief... You want to prove yourself, but you also want to hide,' a voice whispered in his ear. Time seemed to stop as he focused on a great stone slab on the hall's floor, 'I could put you in Ravenclaw, and everyone could see... But... There's something else. You must have put up with a lot, given how you are... You will put up with a lot, especially here... But you've got it in you... And I suppose you need that strength in you proved,' the voice hissed a little, 'don't you think?'

'I-' He started to reply in an undertone.

'Brilliant,' the hat raised its voice, 'GRYFFINDOR!'

The boy stood up, pulling the hat off and sighing very deeply with relief. He'd somehow made it through being sorted without the hat evening mentioning the fact he turned into a monster once and month, and he had made it into the same house of Sirius. Even if they weren't huge friends in the long term, Sirius seemed nice enough... It would be nice to have Lily and possibly Severus and James and perhaps Peter in Gryffindor, too.

...

'Home, sweet, home.'

'I never want to hear you say anything like that again, Potter,' Sirius laughed, giving James a small shove.

They had entered the dormitory to find it warm and containing four trunks. Peter and James had been sorted into Gryffindor, but Severus placed in Slytherin, being booed by many Gryffindors as he took his seat. The year was obviously slightly smaller than some, as the circular room contained five beds, but there would only be four of them.

'I like window beds,' James said immediately, throwing himself onto one that was closest to the window overlooking the grounds.

Peter smiled nervously, impressed by James's long leap and taking the bed next to Peter and the wall.

'Well, I'm hoping you peasants don't snore,' Sirius smirked, throwing his cloak on the bed next to James's, 'you especially, Potter. You seem decent right now.

'Oh, and if you snore, that's permission to cover you in dungbombs.'

Peter knelt on his bed, laughing. He still seemed unsure of whether it was just banter, though, Remus thought, watching the small boy hide a bar of chocolate under his pillow. Remus smiled and placed his book on the bed furthest away, leaving a bed between his own and the one Sirius had chosen.

'Potter, do I smell?'

It was almost as though James and Sirius knew each other, but they both swore they had never even met before. They both seemed to have an air of arrogance that they used perfectly with humour. James stuck his nose in the direction of Sirius, inhaling before pretending to gag. Peter squealed nervously.

'You stink, Black. Revolting. Careful I don't puke on your shoes.'

'Aah,' Sirius grinned, 'explains why young Lupin here doesn't want to sleep in the bed next to me.'

Remus jumped, looking up.

'Annoying habits...'

'Do you smell? Or snore? Or eat in the night?'

Peter shifted furtively, but Remus shook his head.

'Then you can sleep here, you idiot. I don't mind. You can't be any worse than Potter.' He chuckled, but not unkindly, patting the bed on his other side, 'that wall looks extremely boring.'

'Thanks...' Remus muttered, sliding over to the new bed. It was weird to feel accepted. Something inside of him urged to tell Sirius and James and Peter the truth immediately. But they were friends, weren't they? He couldn't ruin that... Maybe he was buying time, but it would make at least the first few weeks a lot easier. It didn't look too fun to be on the wrong side of any of them, especially Sirius.

'So, Peter, do you ever stop eating?'

...

The moon had crept over the grounds, pulling a sheet of night with it, stars studding the dark sky and the moon's light reflecting over the lake. Remus barely had time to concentrate on the night, though. Surprisingly, all four members of the dorm had refused to sleep immediately, and though the jumping and running had (mainly) ceased to talking, Remus still felt very much awake.

'And then I've been living with Muggles all my life,' Peter finished the story of his adoption and smuggled a couple of Every Flavour Beans into his mouth, knelt on the floor in front of James's bed.

'Seriously, Remus, if I smell, you can just _say_,' Sirius was lolling on his bed, put patted and area where Remus could sit.

'He's too polite,' James laughed, 'your noble-Black-ness.'

Remus smiled and tried to think of something funny to say, wanting to impress them, but nothing came and he just grinned, sitting next to Sirius. 'Good thing one of us is sane.'

They laughed.

'It won't last,' James said in a stage whispered, 'we're all bound to catch something off Black.'

Peter gaped slightly again as Remus made a mental note to assure him that anything James or Sirius said about the other was just banter.

'King Black, to you peasants.'

'I'm going to bed,' Peter finally piped up, climbing onto his bed and pulling the curtains shut. James raised his eyebrows at the other two.

'Are you two going to abandon me as well?'

'Lupin looks like he's about to fall asleep on my bed,' Sirius gave him a friendly shove as Remus moved onto his own, smiling tiredly, 'and I should sleep, before you give me nightmares.'

'Night, guys.'

...

It was... Early. Time didn't really matter, but it was certainly very early, at least considering how late he'd gone to bed the previous night. But Remus was awake when he shouldn't have been, and it sounded as though someone else was. The curtains around him were still closed, confining him to only the bed, but letting in some light that was pouring in through the window. Someone, though, had left their bed and was moving around, and the other two members of the dorm were snoring.

Just for a minute, he lay there. The fact he'd met all of the boys before even reaching Hogwarts seemed like it was almost meant to happen. Remus hardly believed in fate, but something about their personalities had possible pulled them together. He slowly sat up, stretching.

'Aha! I knew it was you!'

His curtains were pulled away in a flurry and Sirius jumped onto his friend's legs.

'I heard you moving! ' He was already dressed, Remus noted, seeing the casual way Sirius was wearing his uniform, 'And James and Peter snore like pigs!'

'Really?' The boy yawned a reply, starting to change into his uniform under the bed.

'Yeah,' Sirius sat at the end of the bed, 'I'm hungry. You'll come and get breakfast with me, won't you?'

'I- Can you turn away whilst I change my shirt?'

Remus looked down at the crisp white shirt he was holding. His pyjama shirt covered the many old and fresh scars from years worth of transformations. And he wasn't ready for Sirius to see, or any of the others.

'I'm not gay, so I'm not going to be drooling over you, if that's what you're worried about,' Sirius said bluntly, 'James is gayer. And he probably already likes that Lily girl.'

'It's not-'

'I'm not gonna_ stare, _don't fret! I just can't be bothered to look away._'_

It was the kind of thing he'd been freaking over, really. Boys could have nowhere near as much privacy as girls were allowed when changing. And although it didn't bother the majority of boys, most of them didn't look like they were attacked by a vicious animal on a daily basis.

'I'm changing in the bathroom.'

'Fine,' Sirius replied coolly, a little confused as to why his new friend was quite so shy, 'you don't have to keep anything from me, Remus.'


End file.
